Circuit interrupter



Feb. 28, 1928.

C. H. HODGKINS CIRCUET INTERRUPTER Filed July l5, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wy\\, HM l//J/ X w :A u nu WITNESSES:

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ORNEY Feb. 2s, 192s. .1,660,874

C. H. HODGKINS CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed July l5. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -WITNESSESz INVENTOR K l f l ATTORNEY Patented Feb. Z8, i928.

UNITED STATES -PATENT- orifice.

CHARLES H. HODGKINS, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGI'OB T0 Wma- HOUSE ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0l' mm1.-

VANIA.

CIRCUIT INTEBRUPTER.

Appunti med J'uly 15, 1920. serial Nonveno.

My invention relates to circuit "interrupters and particularly to circuit interrupters ofthe quick-acting type.

One object ot my invention is to vprovide a circuit interrupter that shall be adapted to open and close quickly upon a relatively small movement of the operating handle.

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Another object of my invention is to provide a toggle device for a circuit inter-rupter and a double-acting spring that shall be adapted to quickly reset the toggle device and close the contact members and to so tension another spring during the closing operation that, when .the contact members are released, the other spring will quickly disengage the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide an interrupter of the above indicated character that shall be relatively inexpensive to construct and effective in its operation.

In my Patent No. 1,424,304, issued Aug. 1, 1922, there is disclosed a somewhat similar circuit interrupter embodying a contact carrying shaft, an operating shaft, a sleeve on the operating shaft, a toggle mechanism at one end of the sleeve connecting the same to the operating shaft and a bell-crank mechanism at the other end of the sleeve connecting the same to the contact-carrying shaft.

In practicing my invention, I propose to accomplish. the same operating results as with the above mentioned device and to further economize and render the device more compact andelfective by the rearrangement of parts and the elimination of the above mentioned bell-crank mechanism and one of the shafts.

1 provide an operating shaft, a contactcarrying sleeve disposed around the operating shaft and relatively movable with respect thereto and a toggle mechanism connected to the sleeve and, through apin-andslot, lost-motion connection, to the operating shaft. A double-acting spring is connected through a pin-and-slot, lost-motion connection to the toggle mechanism and is adapted to be moved to one side ofits dead-center position when the toggle mechanism is set and to the other side thereofto quickly close the interrupter. The closing of the interbut spaced apart for clearness, the inter-e rupter being in its open position, and Fig.

2 is a plan view of a portion of ping mechanism.

A circuit interrupter 1 comprises, in general, a casing 2, an oil-containing receptacle 3, stationary contact members 4, movable contact members 5, an operating handle 6 and an operating mechanism 7.

The stationary contact members 4 are the tripmounted on an insulating rod or bar 8 that is secured to the walls 9 and 10 of the receptacle 2. The handle 6 is mounted on a rod or shaft that is rotatably supported at one end in the wall and extends loosely into one end of, and for some distance along, an insulated sleeve Structure 11 having a bearing pin port-ion 15a mounted in the wall 10. The sleeve 11 supports the movable contaftsmembers 5, on a line parallel to the ro Levers 21 and 22 are acm-ed to the respective ends of the sleeve 11, the lever 22 having an arm 23 for a purpose to be hereina-iter described, and an arm. 24, the outer end of which is connected to a rod 12 through a tension spring The rod having an insulating sleeve 13 thereon, is mounted in the walls 9 and 10 of the receptacle 2 and is adapted to support terminal members 14 for the movable contact members 5. An arm' 16 having a relatively short pin 17 therein and an arm 18 having a projection 19 thereon are mounted in closely adjacent planes on the shaft 15 near the handle 6.

The pin 17 extends through an` opening 17a in the arm 18 into an arcuate slot or opening in an arm 28 of a member 27 having two arm's 28 and 29 and loosely mounted on the shaft 15. The arm 29 is provided with an opening or slot 31 that is adapted to receive a pin 32 which is mount wardly-bent portions 62 mounted on the pin 60, by which the lever 61 is pivoted, is biased in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed from the left, by a compression spring 63 that extends between an upper horizontal offset portion 64 of the plate 47 and a relatively short arm portion 65 ot thc lever G1. The lever arm 6l also has transversely extending arms 66 and 67 extending to posi tions over vertically disposed striking rods 68 that are actuated by overload coils (38a supported at the rear of the plate 47. The arm 66 has a portion 69 extending beyond the position at which it is enga-ged by its co-operating striking rod 68 to a position at the opposite side of the pin 60 where it has a downwardly extending portion 7 0 for engagement with the latch member 38.

Upon the occurrence of an overload, the rods 68 will be actuated upwardly to move the lever arm 61 clockwise7 as viewed from the lett, about the pin 60. The portion 70, being on the opposite side of the pin 60 to that occupied by the rods 68, will thus be depressed to engage the latch member 38. This will cause the toggle mechanism to buckle and the interrupter to be opened.

The interrupter will not remain closed during the existence of a predetermined overload as, under this condition, the portion 'l0 will immediately be moved to actuate the latching member 38 to buckle 'the toggle mechanism, nor may the interrupter be closed times of predetermined low or no voltage on the line. Under the latter conditions, the portion 53 will be held, by the spring 55, in position to intercept the latching member 38 to prevent the setting ot the toggle mechanism.

'While l have shown and described a particular form of my invention, changes may be effected therein without departing irom the spirit and scope thereof, as set Jlorth in the appended claims.

claim as my invention:

l. 'ln a circuit interrupter, the combination with movable and stationary Contact members and an operating shaft, of a cylindrical member for carrying the movable con- -tact member loosely mounted on the oper- `ating shalt, a lever arm loosely mounted on the operating shaft and having a lost-motion connection therewith by means of which it ma y be caused to rotate with the shaft a toggle mechanism connected between the lever arm and the cylindrical member, and a double-acting spring connected through a pinand-slot connection to the lever arm.

2. ln a circuit interruptor, the combination with movable and stationary contact members and an operating shaft, ot a member loosely mounted on the operating shaft, .said movable contact member being mounted on said loosely mounted member, a lever arm loosely mounted on the shaft but having a'lost-motion connection therewith, two links operatively connected between said lever arm and the movable member to constitute a toggle mechanism, a latch mounted on one of the links for maintaining the toggle mechanism in its set position, a doubleacting spring cooperating with said lever arm to move it in one direction over its dead-center posit-ion when the toggle mechanism is being set and in the other direction to close the contact members, and a singleacting spring connected to, and to be tensioned by, the movable member during the closing operation ot' the interrupt'er.

3. ln a circuit interruptor, the combination with a movable contact member and an operating handle mounted for movement about a common axis, a turnable member operatively connected to the movable contact member, a toggle mechanism disposed between the operating handle and the turnable member, and a double-acting spring operatively connected to said handle and said toggle mechanism, to be moved to one side oi' its dead-center position when the toggle is set and to the other side when the handle is moved to the closing position.

4. ln a circuit interrupter, the combination with co-operating movable and stationary contact members, and an operating handle, of a toggle mechanism, a double-acting spring co-operating with said toggle mechanism, to be moved to one position when the toggle mechanism is set and for quickly closing the contact members when moved to its other position, and a single-acting spring 2o-operating with said toggle mechanism, to open the contact members when the toggle is upset, the operating handle and the movable contact member being mounted for rotative movement about a common axis.

5. ln a circuit interruptor, the combination with co-operating movable and stationary contact members, and an operating handie, ot a toggle mechanism, a double-acting spring, co-operating with said toggle mechanism, to be moved to one position when the toggle mechanism is set and for quickly closing the contact members when moved to its other position, and a single-acting spring, co-operating with said double-acting spring and said toggle mechanism.. to be tensioned when the contact members are closed for the purpose of quickly opening the same when the toggle mechanism is upset, the operating handle and the movable contact member being mounted for rotative movement about a common axis.

6. ln a circuit interrupter, the combination with co-operating movable and stationary contact members and an operating handie, of a toggle mechanism connected between the handle and the movable contact member, and a double-acting spring, co-operating with said toggle mechanism, to be l (fifi lill moved lo one position when ehe iloggle is sei: 'by movement ol *die handle in one olirection and to loe moved lo its other posizion to quickly close the Contact .members when ehe handle is moveil in the other clii'ection,

'fthe operating handle and the movable oonsicle oi? iis deed-center position hy the hondlle .when the toggle mechanism is soloand lioother side of its demi-center position 4when ithe handle is moveol to its closecl position, eind e second spring, (zo-operating with said first spi-ing, lo loe tensioneol' when the conmot members are closed,v the operating hanelle on the movalolecontact member being mounted fof `i'otaive movement about a common exis.

lln lestimony whereof, ll have hereunto subscribed my neme this 26th clay oi` lime9 ieee., o

CHARLES n. nonenms, 

